Frank b



(No Model.)

P. B. RAE.

. CONTROLLING SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No 446,613. v Patented Feb. 17,1891.

A} 3.1/5. p MAM T Attorney) UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK l3. RAE, ()F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE DETROIT-ELECTRICAL \VORIIS, OF SAME PLACE.

CONTROLLING-SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,618, dated February17, 1891. Application filed August 22, 1890. Serial No. 362,763. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK l3. RAE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling-Switches forElectric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to a controlling-switch designed more particularlyfor use with storage-batteries in connection with motors for drivingcars and other processes; and it has for its object to provide meanswhereby the energy from the batteries can be applied in propelling andregulating the motor according to the characterof the work to be done,so that the direction of rotation of the motor and the speed at which itrotates can be regulated and at the same time excessive discharge fromthe battery-cells prevented in making the various connections.

In carrying out my invention I provide a switch device constructed andarranged substantiall y as hereinafter more particularly set forth, andconnect the same to the batterycells, which are arranged in groups, andalso connect the proper resistance devices in the circuits while makingthe various connections to prevent the cells discharging, all of whichwill be more specifically set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my inventiondiagrammatically, the figure showingthe switch in the form of a cylinderthe plates of which have been straightened out in order to more clearlyshow the various connections and the circuits, and the connectionsbetween the various plates of the switch, the brushes, the battery, andmotor are indicated conventionally.

\Vhile my invention may be carried out in various mechanical structuresand arrangements different from each other, in accordance with theparticular kind of work to be done, I have illustrated and will describethe principles of my invention in connection with one arrangement whichI have found exceedingly practicable in the operation of cars forelectric railways, and it is to be understood that my invention is notlimited to the precise form or construction indicated.

I have shown the battery-cells X X X X arranged in four groups, eachgroup preferably consisting of one-quarter of the total number of cellsnecessary to operate the car. The motor Y is in a circuit from thesecells, and interposed between the cells and the motor is the controllingswitch device and connections.

The groups of cells are so arranged that upon the first movement of theswitch from the neutral position the four groups will be arranged inmultiple are circuit with the motor, and the cu rrentwill be directedthrough the motor to propel it in the proper direction.

If we take one hundred as an illustration of the total number of cellsand assume that each cell has an clectro-motive force of two volts, thenwhen connected up, as before described, each group of cells will containtwen ty-five cells and have an electro-motive force of fifty volts.Consequently when the groups are arranged in multiple arc the totalelectro-motive force exerted upon the motor will be fifty volts, and thecurrent necessary to start the motor from a position of rest will bedrawn equally from'the four groups. Supposing now, as I find inpractice, that this startingcurrent with the particular motor employedis to be one hundred and sixty amperes, then each group of cells willdischargeforty amperes with an electro-motive force of fifty volts, andwith this discharge 1 find there is no danger of burning or otherwisedestroy 1g the motor or circuits. IVhen the motor-armature has reachedthe greatest speed it will attain with its load under a pressare offifty volts, the switch is arranged so that on its next movement thecells will be connected into two groups, each group being a multiple arcand each group furnishing an electro-inotive force of titty volts, sothat the total electro-motive force furnished under this arrangementwill be one hundred volts. This difference of potential accelerates thearmature speed of the motor, and I iind under the arrangement describedthat the initial current necessary to produce this acceleration is abouteighty amperes, and therefore the out put from each group of cellsremains about forty ampcres, as under the first condition. To furtherincrease the speed of the motorin this arrangement the third movement ofthe the load on the motor.

1 5 to suit the work to be done.

switch places all the cells inseries, making a (lifierence ot'rpotentialor the electro-motive force of the battery two hundred volts, and I havefound that the initial current upon the 5 movement of the switch fromone position to the other in this instance is about forty amperes, asbefore; but the revolution of the armature reduces this current more orless, depending upon the condition of the track and It will thus be seenthat in the present arrangement under all conditions the current fromany group of cells need not exceed forty amperes, while theelectro-lnotive force of the current can be varied Of course it will beseen that by arranging these cells in a different number of groups and adifferent nu mber of cells in each group, and carrying out the sameprinciples of connection in the switch,

more or less cells may be used in accordance with my invention.

In making successive combinations with the groups of battery-cells it isnecessary that the circuit shall not be broken, as this results 2 5 1nthe formation of an arc across the contacts.

which would be disastrous to the switchf It is at the same timenecessary that the battery, or the groups of the cells of the battery,shall not be'sl1ort-circuited while the switch is beo ing moved from onecombination to another.

I accomplish these results by providing suitable resistance-coilsarranged for the various potentials that exist under varied conditionsand connect them with the plates of the switch and thebrushes, so thatthe current flowing 0 terposed during the movement of the switch fromone point to'anot-her, as when the brushes pass from one set of contactsto the next; and in the present instance I have shown the plates of theswitch so arranged that the brushes shall bridge the space between thetwo sets of contacts; or, in other words, the brushes rest upon bothcontacts at the same time, so that in the first half of the movement-thebrush reaches a contact to which is attached one side of the resistancethrough which the current must "pass to' reach theopposite' contact,while the next-half of the movement cuts this resistance out, so thatthe change is eitected without breaking the circuit and without shortcircuit-ing' the batteries, and the current is *keptpractically constantat any position of the switch, except so far as it is influencedby'thecounter electro-motive force of the motor-armature. Whiletheseresistance-coils maybe variously arranged to produce the desiredresult, I have shown them mounted upon the cylinder of the switch, andin the present instance they are mounted between the current-reversingplates and the current- ,6 5 connecting plates.

, Ylirthe drawing, in represents a cylinder covered or consisting ofsome insulating material, upon which are mounted the various plates ofconducting material which are shown displayed. The plates are arrangedin duplicate or complementary parts on each semicircumference of theswitch, and the switch is adapted to be rotated in one direction or theother to propel the motor forward or backward, and upon the lowerextremity of the switch I have shown the cm'rent-reversers consisting ofthe plates I I I I J J J J, and the brushes F I? and K K are arrangedbetween these plates and connected to the line in a manner to send thecurrent through the armature of the motor in one direction or the other,according to which way the. switch is turned. These plates are connectedup, as indicated in the drawings. The plates 1' and J being connectedtogether, the plates 1 and J are also connected together, while theplates I and J 2 are connected and the plates .I and I are connected.The brush F is connected by the conductorac with the brush 6 on theswitch. The brush K is connected with one of the brushes of the armatureand the brush K with the other brushof the armature, while the brush Fis connected with the field-magnet coil and through the conductor 3 withthe brushg on the opposite side of the switch to the brush 6. v

The several groups of batteries A B O D are respectively connected withthe brushes (t a, b b, c c, and d d, which are arranged on oppositessides of the switch in reverse order from the end, asshown.

The metal plates 5 5 and 6 6 are the complements of each other, and arearranged with straight sides adjacent to the brushes at their neutralpositions, while the other sides are stepped or cut away to receivethe'other contact-plates.

The plates 1 l, 2 2, 3 3, and 4 1 are connected together on the switch,as indicated by the dotted lines, and the plates 1 1*, 2' 2 3 3, and at4 are similarly connected, as indicated.

The resistanee-coil'Ehas its terminals connected to the plates 1 and 8,which; plates are in turn connected to the plates 1 and Theresistance-coil E has one terminal connected to the plates 4t 4' andtheother terminal to the plates 11 11. The resistance-coil E has oneterminal connected to the plates 3 3 and the other terminal to theplates 10 10, while the resistance-coil E has its terminals connectedrespectively to the plates 2 2 and 9 9. I

In the position illustrated in the drawings the brushes are assumed torest upon the insulated cylinder of the switch, and of course no currentispassing, and we will assume connected together through the plates 5 5and the groups of cells are connected inm-ultiple arc, and the circuitmay be traced from the brushes u t/ c (7 through the plate 5 to thebrush (2, through the conductor ar, brush i plate I to plate J brush K,through the armature in the direction of the arrow to brush K, plate .1,through the conneetingwire to plate 1 thence by brush 1:" through theholdmagnet coils of the motor, and by conductor 1 to the brush (1 andplate 5, through the brushes 0/ l) c d to the groups of batteries. inthis condition, under the example assumed, there is an electro-motiveforce of lili'ty volts and a current of one hundred and sixty amperes,or forty amperes from each group of cells flowing through the motor, andthe batteries are thus connected in the most economical manner to startthe motor or overcome the inertia of the car or load by the use of acurrent of large quantity and relatively small electro -motive force. Acontinued movementot the switoh-rollerin the direction of the arrow willnot alter the connection or the direction of the current through themotor, as the plates upon the reversing part of the switch embracesutticient of the circnmference of the switch-roller to maintain contactthrough the entire movement of the switch in this direction. The nextmovement of the switch in the direction of the arrow will first causethe brushes ab to bear on contactplate 8, while the brushes 0 (1 willbear upon the larger plate 1 In this position the circuit may be tracedthrough the battery and switch device, leaving out the motor, which willbe the same as before, commencing at the brush g, passing through theplate 5, the brushes a (1 to the group of cells A Bin multiple to thebrushes (0 Z), through the contactplate 8 to the resistance-coil E,thence to contact-plate 1, and thence by the connection indicated indotted lines to the larger plate l to the brushes 0 b, to the groups ofbatteries (J D, thence to the brushes 0 (Z, plate 5, and brush e. Inthis condition the batterycells are connected in two groups in multipleare and the resistance-coil E isinterposed between the groups A 13 and OI) and prevent short-eircniting or discharge thereof, while the furthermovement of the switch carries the brushes (4 1) onto the plate 1, whilethe opposite brushes 0 it will remain on the larger plate 1, thusshort-circuiting the resistance coil and finally cutting it out, leavingthe groups of cells in multiples of two without the interposedresistance. Under these conditions of the switch the electro-moliveforce of the current flowing through the motor will be one hundredvolts, while the amperes from each group of cells remain practically thesame as in the first condition. The next movement in the cylinder willcause the brushes a?) c to contact with the plates 0 10 11, and thebrushes Z) c (1 to contact with the larger plates 2 3 l and this willconnect the groups of battery-cells in series, and between each twosucceeding groups will be interposed one of the resistance-coils E F?ii, and upon the further rotation oi the switch the brushes u I) c willcontact with the plates 2 3 l, respectively, the brushes (1 1: (1 remaining on their larger contact-plates, and the resistance-coils l0 1)It will be first shortcireuited and then out out in a manner beforedescribed, leaving the groups of batterycells connected in seriesthrough the motor,. and under these conditions the full power of thebatteries will be exerted, it necessary, to propel the car.

It will be understood that in turning oil. the current the same stepswill be gone through, except in the reverse orderin other words, as soonas the switch is moved the re sistancc-coils will lirst be interposedbetween the groups of cells and then the cells will be connected upinmultiples of t\vos,then again the resistance-coil will be interposedbetween these groups and the groups of cells will be connected up inmultiple are, and then when the switch reaches the normal positionindicated in the drawings all the cells will be cut out of circuit. Ifthe motor is to be propelled in an opposite direction, the same stepsare gone through, and it is only necessary to turn the cylinder in adirection opposite to the arrow, when the current through themotor-armature will pass in the opposite direction under the variedconditions.

Having thus described the principles of my invention and explained thepreferred means of carrying them out, what I claim is 1. Thecombination, with the battery-cells arranged in groups and the motorconnected with those cells, of an interposed controllingswitch providedwith contacts and brushes, substantially as described, andresistancecoils connected with the contacts, whereby the groups ofbattery-cells may be arranged in various relations, and the resistancedevice interposed between the groups to prevent short-circuiting,substantially in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

2. The combination, with the battery-cells arranged in groups and themotor connected to the cells, of an interposed controlling-switch havingcontact-plates and brushes arranged substantially as described, andresistance-coils also arranged on the switch and connected with thecontact-plates, whereby the groups of cells may be variously connectedwithout danger of short-circuiting, substantially in the mannerdescribed.

3. The combination, with the battery-cells arranged in groups and themotor connected to the cells, of an interposed controlling-switch havingcoi'itact-plates and brushes arranged substantially as described,resistance devices also mounted on said switch and connected to theplates, and a current-reversing device also mounted on the switch,whereby the groups of cells maybe connected up in various relations anddirected through the motor in the desired direction and short-circuitingprevented, substantially in the manner described.

4. The combination, with the battery-cells IOC ITO

arranged in groups and the motor connected to the cells, ofan-interposedcontrolling-switch consisting of acylinder of insulated material,brushes arranged on opposite sides of the cylinder, complementary platesof conducting material mounted on the cylinder, and resistance-coilsalso mounted on the switch and connected to conducting-plates,

contact-plates, and circuit-reversing plates also mounted on thecylinder, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the battery-cells arrangcd'in groups and themotor connected therewith, of an interposed controlling-switchconsisting of a cylinder having mounted thereon complementarycontact-plates, the said plates consisting, essentially, of four largeplates having one straight side and the other side steppechthe largecontact-plates arranged adjacent to said steps and connected to'thesmall complementary plates similarly arranged, resistance-coils connected to the small plates, and brushes connected to the terminals ofthe'circuits as arranged on opposite sides of the switch, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myn a'me to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK- B. RAE.

Witnesses: 4

JAMES WHITTEMORE, M. B. ODOGHERTY;

